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Wednesday, May 27, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
Q&A: Elections "Will Indicate Maturity in the Democratic Process"
Just hours remain before polling stations are scheduled to open in Sierra Leone for general elections that will see seven parties vie for the presidency, and control of the West African nation's parliament.
POLITICS-SIERRA LEONE: Women As An Antidote to Corruption?
Sierra Leone will hold general elections Saturday with a number of significant achievements in hand, not least maintaining peace for five years.
KENYA: More Women in Parliament, Hopefully – By Way of the Constitution
Kenya's parliament will soon debate a constitutional amendment bill to improve female representation in the legislature by creating 50 special seats for women. At present, only some eight percent of parliamentary posts in the East African country are occupied by women.
SIERRA LEONE: A Women's Issue That Women Are Wary of Campaigning About
Female genital mutilation (FGM) can make sex painful, complicate childbirth, lead to urinary tract infections, enable the transmission of HIV - and induce a host of other ills. So, promising to fight this practice should be a winning strategy for someone hoping to be elected to parliament this Saturday in Sierra Leone - where about 90 percent of girls and women undergo FGM, according to rights watchdog Amnesty International.
Q&A: "In Sierra Leone They Just Cut You, And There's Not Much Problem With That"
Certain comments resonate long after they are made, and Shirley Yeama Gbujama's reported threat to "sew up the mouths of those preaching against Bondo" is certainly one of them.
POLITICS-SIERRA LEONE: Making a Voting Right a Voting Reality
Having the right to vote is one thing; using it properly, or indeed at all, is quite another, as Sierra Leone has shown ahead of general elections this Saturday.POLITICS-MALI: Bracing for “Zero to Six” in Parliamentary Elections
A fear has been voiced that the number of women in Mali's parliament could be more than halved during legislative elections that wrapped up Sunday.
SIERRA LEONE: Caught Between Leaving the Kitchen and Putting Food on the Table
When Iyesha Josiah told people last year that after the August 2007 general elections, she would stand before them as a new member of parliament for Sierra Leone, they thought she was joking.AFRICA: “If You Want More Development, Include Women in Decision-making”
The '8th Triennial Commonwealth Women's Affairs Ministers Meeting' (8WAMM) has closed with an acknowledgement that gender equality is central to democracy, peace and economic growth; ministers also called for greater efforts to achieve parity between men and women.BURKINA FASO: Giving Political Parties a Legal Nudge
Awareness raising alone hasn't managed to bring about sufficient change...Perhaps quotas are now required. That's the thinking behind a law that will be put before Burkina Faso's parliament later this year, in an effort to increase the number of women in decision-making posts in the West African country's government.POLITICS-BENIN: A Drubbing in National Elections Turns Attention to Local Polls
Out of 250 candidates, just a handful triumphed: not an impressive track record by any measure. So, Benin's women are already looking ahead to the next election.POLITICS-MALI: A Presidential Election That Breaks With Tradition
When Malians queue to cast ballots in presidential elections Sunday, they will be participating in a poll with a difference: for the first time ever, a woman will be amongst the candidates voters have to choose between.POLITICS-NIGERIA: Watershed Elections – For Men, That Is
Declarations of no confidence in the electoral commission, threats of an opposition boycott, a key candidate clawing his way back onto the ballot at the last minute...There has been no shortage of political theatre concerning Saturday's milestone elections in Nigeria, or debate on whether the country can successfully hand over power from one civilian government to another for the first time since independence in 1960.NIGERIA: What Have Eight Years of Democracy Done for Women Politicians?
"Men are the decision makers; women should be cooking in the kitchen while men play politics." This is the type of comment that Dorothy Ukel Nyone's male counterparts repeatedly made when she announced her intention to contest a seat in Nigeria's state elections, which got underway Saturday.LESOTHO: Local Elections May Hold the Key to National Success for Women
As Lesotho's newly-elected legislators settle down to the task of governing, activists are expressing disappointment at the low representation of women in the country's parliament.KENYA: Going Beyond “Cheerleading, Singing and Dancing For Candidates”
With general elections scheduled to take place in Kenya this December, activists in the East African country are looking to constitutional reform to ensure that more women fill decision-making posts in government.RIGHTS-KENYA: Politics and Gathering Water Don’t Mix, Say Women Activists
Women in Kenya’s North Eastern Province (NEP) say they will not be able to play a more active role in politics unless concerted efforts are made to provide basic services in the vast and arid region.ELECTIONS-CONGO: A Lending Hand from Women in Belgium
A group of 22 Congolese women living in Belgium will set out to do their bit to support women participating in elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo over the next few months..CHALLENGES 2005-2006: Where Are Malawi’s Women Legislators Now?
More than a year ago, IPS profiled several of the women who had won seats in Malawi's parliament, something that enabled them to break new ground in the drive to make the legislature less of male-dominated forum.« Previous Page
We follow elections across Africa and examine women's participation in political processes. We also analyse how women and men as candidates and voters are dealing with the challenges of political participation within the scope of democratic electoral processes. This interactive project includes stories and resources for women politicians and reporters, including a handbook, “Women in the News” (available online in French and English) and a set of advocacy tools for women in politics.
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Tracking global progress towards a sustainable world
This page includes independent IPS news coverage which is part of a partnership with UN WOMEN SARO to strengthen the voice and visibility of "Women in Politics" in the region.
Advocacy Toolkit for Women in Politics
- Planning for Advocacy
- Framing an advocacy message
- Mobilising Resources fot your Advocacy Activities
- Conducting Research
- Networking Tools - Srength in numbers
- Be Media Savvy
- Writing for Media - Opinion and Commentary Pieces
- Key Gender Concepts
- Using the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development as an Advocacy Tool
- One woman's journey in advocacy
